Circular knitting machine



Sept. 4, 1956 M. NEBEL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet-l Sept. 4, 1956 M. NEBEL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-SheetI 2 Filed April 6, 1953 lnvemor. L4 we Sept. 4, 1956 M. NEBEL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States arent Claims priority,

This invention relates to the manufacture of hosiery and knitted fabrics without warp threads, similar to Milanese fabrics or other warp-knit fabrics according to British Patent No. 507,660. In the knitted goods to which that Patent relates, thread portions lying between non-adjacent needle loops in the same course are worked longer than usual and (after being pulled through a loop in that course) are knitted into a following course as elongated needle loops with the normal needle loops of that following course. In the following description and in the appended claims, these elongated needle loops are referred to as extended loops. There are thus formed mesh formations similar to warp knit fabrics, because of the mesh limb parts which bring about a cross connection of the needle meshes of one course with the needle meshes of a following course.

The procedures according to the invention are also suitable for the manufacture of knitted fabrics, in which such extended loops are not worked into meshes in a following course, but are only bound in as catch loops between the meshes.

These extended loops which for this purpose are formed between two non-adjacent needle onto the needles for working in a following course. According to the process of the invention the extended loops are further to be carried not only by two transfer plates on both sides of the needle, but also, for certain modes of working by only one transfer plate between the needles, for which purpose they are given a special shape according to the requirement.

The process according to the invention relates to two types of circular knitting machines which operate for the purpose of the transferring of extended loops onto` the needles with specially shaped transfer plates. One type of circular knitting machine is that which has` a rib disc within the needle cylinder, in the slots of which sinkers are guided which are moved against the back of the needles. The other type of circular knitting machine is that which has a ring outside the needle cylinder in the slots of which knocking ofr" or connecting plates are guided which are moved against the front of the needles.

According to the invention one of the two simultaneously sunk loops which is sunk longer than the other of usual length is held during the mesh formation on the plates and then, when the needle goes up again to its highest position, is so held over the needle hook of the needle that it goes through the loop.

By bringing the extended loop before the needle hook I for the transferring onto the needles more thread is used than is needed for its. sunk length. If this excess of thread were created by sinking more than is necessary then the meshes which formed from the long loops and the meshes of usual size, would be too large. Thus the fabric will be too loose and not knit close enough. If on the other hand this reserve of thread is not given then the long loop must bring the necessary excessY of thread for the transferring from the adjacent small loop. That would be possible with a loose fabric but is impossible with the firm and closed fabric planned, as with such fabric the loops of usual size are alreaoy formed from the minibreakage.

lt is intended to eliminate these disadvantages by the invention whereby it is rst arranged that the extended With circular knitting machines the procedure according to a further feature of the invention is such that the extended loops are sunk at a point which lies higher than the sinking point for the loops of usual length and that the transferring of the extended loops on to the needles takes place so far below the sinking point that by bringing the loops into their transferring position before the needles or needle hooks no increase in the loops is effected. This is attained in that the edge of the plate on which the extended loop lies during the transference to the needle lies lower than the edge on which the loop is sunk.

This happens either the sinker edge, which in this case is a transfer plate, there is provided a groove lying deeper than the sinker edge or that the carrier of the transfer plate, on sinking for the long loops is tipped higher and after the sinking or transferring is again lowered.

position of the extended loop and that of the lower meshes of loops of usual length. This distance is necessary in order to allow the long loop onto the needle latch If the extended loops are carried by two transfer plates it is suflicient if the trans` ferring point of the extended loops for this process lies at the same height as the sinking point.

ln machines with spring (hook) needles this distance must be present so that the pressing of the needle hook between the extended loops and the meshes is possible.

The manufacture of such a hosiery fabric in warp knit fashion, as a close and needle proof mesh fabric presupposes that the transfer plates for transferring the extended loops to the needle for the co-forming of extended and normal meshes must have a shape which meets these reby the fact that in the carrier of sinker edge, that is the one transfer plate and in view of the fact that on the upward movement of the needles the meshes are still carried along upwards somewhat beyond the lower edge of the plate. According to the invention it is intended to eliminate this idisadvantage by the fact that while the meshes are brought from the latches onto the shaft of the needle, the extended loops are located on a point on the top edge of the transfer plates which is higher than the point on which they are sunk.

On the other hand however the lower edge of the carrier of the sinker edge for the extended loop must be as high as possible so that the extended loops lying on the opened latches, after the passing again of the plates for the sinking of new loops, are not pressed in the latch hinge of the needle and torn by the closing latch. For this purpose the front lower edge of the sinking edge carrier that is the transfer plate is made narrower towards its free end and inclined at the top. This inolining of the lower edge of the transfer plate has in addition the object according to the invention of providing sufficient space for the placing in of a weft thread by means of a weft threadguide between the usual sinking point (cylinder upper edge) and the plate lower edge.

This inclining of the lower edge terminates after the free end, and does not extend to the transfer groove lying deeper than the sinking edge. tween the transfer groove and the termination of the lower edge slope is the part of the sinking edge carrier which creates the necessary distance between the sinker edge and lower edge for the keeping apart of the extended loops of the meshes.

In circular knitting machines with knocking off or connecting plates two plates are guided in a slot and in fact near the knocking off plate, which at the same time serves as cover plate, lies the hook transfer plate.

For the manufacture of these fabrics the extended loops must in most cases during a mesh forming process go over from the transfer plates to the needles and then be released from the transfer plates, whereupon the transfer plates go again above the extended loops and below the thread to be sunk, for the taking up of new extended loops. In order to avoid that these transfer plates (which may be moved against the back of the needle or against the needle breasts) drop or again take up the free loops, or in order to avoid that the loops or a thread to be worked into ordinary meshes become pressed down so deeply by the lower edges of the plate that on going to the latch (with latch needles) they are pressed into the latch joints and are torn or cut by the same, the plates are so formed according to a further characteristic of the invention and means is provided which act in such a manner that for the taking up of new extendexl loops the plates come higher up in the working position than their own height at which the extended loops are sunk and again released.

The application of the features according to the invention together or singly depends on the binding of such knitted fabrics similar to Milanese or warp knit fabrics to be manufactured.

In the accompanying drawing, various modes of carrying the invention into effect are illustrated.

Figs. 1-5 show various forms of transfer plates.

Figs. 6-10 and 15 show in side elevation the manner of operation of these transfer plates relatively to the needles; and

Fig. 11 is a front elevation for the same purpose.

The part which lies be- Fig. 12 is a cross-section through a needle cylinder and transfer plate bed along the section line llllll in Fig. 13 with transfer plates raised to the high position according to the invention for entry into working position in full lines, and in the usual horizontal position for the sinking and release of the extended loops.

Fig. 13 is a section plan of the needles and the transfer plates;

Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section on lline lV-lV in Fig. 3, through the transfer plate bed and a locking element, and showing auxiliary lock parts according to the invention which effect the lifting and sinking of the transfer plates;

Fig. 16 is a cross section through the transfer plate bed and needle bed with two plates on each plate guide which are guided in on two different cam tracks and act on the one hand as cover plate and knock olf plate and on the other hand as transfer plate;

Fig. 17 is a side view showing the position of the cover plate and knock off plate and transfer plate according to Fig. 16, at the beginning of the sinking process;

Figs. 18-25 show the shape and mode of operation of the plates according to Fig. 16, Figs. 18-21 and 23-25 being side views, whereas Fig. 22 is a plan;

Fig. 26 illustrates a specially-shaped latch needle, particularly suitable for the mode of operation according to the invention.

The mode of operation of a circular knitting machine for the manufacture of fabrics of the kind to which the invention relates is for example such that two groups of needles (N1 and N2), in which the needles of one group alternate with those of the other group, respectively form the threads a and b into long loops 3a, 3b, and respectively form the threads b and a into shorter loops or meshes 4 and that transfer plates P1 and P2 operate between the needles, see for instance Figs. 11, 13 and 22.

The sequence of operation of the group of needles is, for the most part, in the order that one group of needles Nl carries out two mesh-forming operations one after the other, and then the other group of needles N2 carries out two mesh-forming operations one after the other, then again the needle group N1 and so on.

The examples of the transfer plates illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 are for circular knitting machines with rib disc R in which the plates are guided in their movement towards and from the needle.

These transfer plates are shaped according to the purpose for which they are used, and by reason thereof it is possible to have faultless manufacture of mesh fabrics such as those shown in the aforesaid British Patent 507,660.

The transfer plates P1 and P2 shaped as in Fig. l are particularly suitable for the case where the loop 3 is to be transferred to the needles by one transfer plate only. For this purpose transfer plates P1 and P2 of two different lengths are provided each of which may be actuated from a cam track (similar to the needles in interlock circular knitting machines) and these are so placed in the knitting machine that at least one short platePl alternates with a long plate P2.

For carrying out the required mode of operation the transfer plate (Fig. l) is so shaped that its upper edge at the front is free and comprises the straight part to the sinking point Pa, upwardly inclined steep slope Pe, a higher straight edge l)s (which serves for the keeping of the extended loops apart from the meshes), then there is a steeply sloping downwardly inclined part and again an upwardly-sloping part, thereby providing a deep slot or throat Pb, the bottom of which is lower than the sinking point Pa. The edge PS lies higher than the sinking point Pa so as to extend the loop 3 on transferring it into the slot Pb. The lower edge Pd at the free end of the transfer plate runs partly straight and parallel to the upper edge P@ and then has a downward slope PC to the main lower edge iPk. For the rest, the transfer plates may have the same shape as the stem portions of the needles.

The operation of these transfer plates (Fig. 1) in the knitting process is as follows. The sinking of the longerthan-usual loops 3 (Fig. 6) takes place on the part Pa of the upper edge which is lower than the part Ps of the upper edge on which those loops are held whilst they and the `meshes 4 must be kept separate from each other the purpose of efficient separation of these loops, the edge Ps of the transfer plate must be higher from the lower edge Pk than is the sinking point Pa and the transfer throat Pb, in order to have a sufficient space for this process without the sinking of the loop 3 being dependent in its length on the height of the edge P5.

Above all, if the loop 3 is sunk over only one transfer plate (P1 or P2) and consequently is transferred by only one transfer plate, the greater height of the edge Ps for the said separating process is particularly necessary, as in this case the loops 3 extend obliquely upwards in front of the needles to the upper edge part Ps (as shown in Fig. 1l) so that only by the greater height of the edge Ps is a favorable loop formation obtained.

The slot Pb located behind the upper edge part Ps serves for transfer of the loops on to the needles and is kcut so deep that its deepest point is deeper than the point Pa on which the loops are sunk. In this way one avoids the necessity of the loops having an excess of thread which is appreciably more than the sunk (Fig. 7).

The sliding over of the loops 3 from the sinking point Pa onto the point Ps and into the transfer slot Pb is facilitated by the part Pe (of the upper edge) sloping backwards obliquely and furthermore in that at that time the needles have already moved upwards a little from their lowest position, whereby the loops 3 no longer lie tightly on the sinking point Pa. After transfer of the loops 3 that is, when the needle with its hook has entered the loop, the transfer plates move only so far back that the edge Ps holds the loop 3 at the required distance from the mesh 4 (Fig. 8). The slot Pb must be so obliquely cut that on the transfer plate moving Vbackwards theloop 3 may slide easily out of the slot Pb onto the edge part P.

The notching of the lower edge Pd, Pc at the free end of the transfer plate P serves for the purpose that, on entry of the transfer plates below the thread a or b, to be sunk between the needles, the transferred loops 3 of the previous row are not pressed downwards and cut upon the closing of the latch (Fig. 9).

The transfer plate shown in Fig. 2 has the forward part or nose directed upwards, with an upper sinking edge Pv and a lower edge PC, the remainder of the plate being of the same form as the transfer plate shown in Fig. l. This modified feature, i. e. the upwardly-directed part, has for its object the sinking of the thread on an edge sloping gradually towards the point Ps which is lower than the highest part of the free end, whereby the loops 3 are formed on a point lying lower than the free end, and that free end, as it again enters over the loop transferred onto the needles and between the needles, is at a height greater than the length of the loops. The sinking of the loops may take place in the slot which is formed by the oblique sinking edge PV and the slope Pe (as in Fig. 2) or on the straight edge Ps of the plate according to how far the transfer plate is moved forward between the needles. Furthermore, it is intended by means of the upwardlydirected part Pv to ensure that the loops, which during a mesh-forming process are held on the transfer plates, shall not inadvertently slip olf the plate.

If the loops are sunk, held and transferred over two transfer plates, transfer plates are used without' the raised point Ps opposite the sinking point Pa (as shown in Figs.

3 and`4). With the form of point Pa and the point Ps for the loops after the transfer are the same height. The lowering of the point Ps and the decrease of the distance of the point Ps from the lower edge Pk is determined by the position of the loops 3 over two transfer plates P since, as illustrated the dotted position of the loop 3 in Fig. 11, in spite of the lower position of the loop on the edg Ps there is still sufficient space for keeping the mesh 4 apart from the loop 3. This lowering of the point Ps is necessary as the loops 3 lying over two transfer plates P require more thread than when they only lie over one plate of the same height.

In order also with these transfer plates to make use of the advantage of the part PV, Pc directed upwards, the sinking point PV slopes from the point PS obliquely upwards to the free end (Fig. 3) whereby the free end lies higher than the point Ps whilst with the transfer plates P, Fig. 2, the free end of the part PV, Pc directed upwards lies at about the same height as the edge PS.

For the rest, the mode of operation of the transfer plates of Figs. 3 and 4 is the same as previously described for the transfer plate of Fig. 1.

The form of the lower edge of the transfer plates P at their free ends which slope forwards and upwards through the oblique slope Pc and then run parallel to` the plate Fig. 4 the sinking slope Pc to the free end, for the purpose of the placing in of a weft thread S. This cutting Pc and Pd or only the oblique part Pc of the lower edge is so maintained that it is caused to lie inwardly under the sinking point Pa so that the height and length of the separating point Ps `relative to the lower edge Pk is maintained (Figs. 15).

The space thus created makes it possible to place in a weft thread guide Sf 'so far between the needles N1, N2 at the height of the cylinder upper edge (comb height position) and the transfer plate Pwith its thread exit, that the weft thread S may be brought behind the needles (Fig. 10).

In applying the invention to circular knitting machines with transfer plates which are guided in a ring O outside the needle cylinder C, and moved against the needle breast, two plates are located in a slot, namely, a hook transfer plate 15 and a cover and knocking otf plate 16 covering the hooks of the transfer plates 15 (Figs. 116-25).

ln accordance with the examples shown in Figs. 16-25 a cover plate 16 is provided next to each hook plate 15. The hook 15y itself is only slightly bent so that it can easily be brought out of the loop when the plate is tipped.

The extended loop 3 is sunk on the upper edge 16u of the cover plate 16 which lies at the same height as the hook plate upper edge 15u. Thus an increase in the sinking depth of the long loop 3 is obtained in that the hook plates 15 move back on, sinking in the same step as the downwardly moving needles (Fig. 19). long loops are not only sunk vertically but also horizontally in the desired length.

The drawing back of the hook transfer plates 15 from the position according to Fig. 18 into the sinking posi- 34 in the angle from adjustable of the plate butt 15k the slot 34. of the loop 3 on (Figs. 18 to 20). The cam H2 is fixed at the outer periphery of the plate ring O, the place suitable for the tipping-up movement.

For carrying out this downwards-tipping movement of the transfer plates the plate has a larger slope 15.m of the lower edge of the hook transfer plate 15 which is still guided in the needle cylinder C when the plate is in the normal (untipped) position. If the transfer plates 15 are to be moved to and fro horizontally whilst not tipped then they are held untipped by the rear lower edge of their cam part 37 which acts on the upper edge 15n of the rear end of the plate, as well as by the lower edge of the cam part 38 acting against the upper edge 15b (Figs. 19 and 21). If and when the hook transfer plates 15 are tipped up by the cam H2 then the cam parts 37 and 38 are correspondingly cut away above the plate and the surface of the vcam acting on the lug 15k and also the upper edge 15b are sloped (Fig. 20). The tipping up movement may also take place by the action of other means and on another part of the hook plate 15 than the rear end.

When, during the working operation the object of the tipping up is fulfilled, which consists in the fact that the loop is brought to its lowest possible position over the intermediate needle hooks and the transfer plate hooksV ISY tipped out of the loop 3, then the plate is again brought horizontal by the under surface of the cam part 37 which again runs downwards in a slope, so that the plate may be brought from the cover position to the take up position in order to take up new thread. The tipping back into the horizontal position takes place as Fig. 21 shows, after the plate has run off the cam H2, and where the lower edge of the cam part 37 acts on the upper edge' 15n of the transfer plate 15 to depress it.

The plates 16 have the function of covering the hooks and knocking off the meshes from the needles as usual and are operated by the cam parts 40 and 41. (Figs. 18- 21).

The covering of the hook 15y of the hook plate 15 by the coverrnose 16a of the cover plate may take place by the placing of the cover nose 16- horizontally next to the hook 15y of the hook plate, and by a common movement of the parts 15-16 in this position relatively to the needles (Fig. 2l). Preferably the loop 3 may also be brought out of the hook 15y in that the hook plate 15 is, from its transfer position according to Fig. 20 (which also at the same time is the knocking off position of the cover plate and the knock off plate 16) tipped so far downwards (Fig. 23) that the hook 152L swings out of the loop 3 lying on the edge 16V, or in that the hook 15Y is covered by the part of the cover plate which the sloping upper edge 16W locates between the transfer plate 16v and the sinking edge 161 (Fig. 25). The slope 16u may be so deep that the deep upper edge part 16V of the cover plate 16 still lies below the usual sinking edge 16y for the usual meshes.

In most cases it is not necessary to adapt the part 162 covering the hook according to Fig. 21 to the height of the hook. The cover nose 162L has however at the same time the function of a separating part between the meshes 4 and the loop 3 (Fig. 21) in the same manner as the part between the lower edge Pk and the point PS of the transfer plates P. Consequently the height of the part 16a must still correspond to the position of the loops whether they hang on one pair of plates 15 and 16 or on two pairs of plates 15 and 16, in such a way that the certain keeping apart from the meshes 4/ 5 below the opened latch and the loop still on the latch is guaranteed. After this position the plates 15 and 16 go jointly out of the needleplate and loops and then into the position of Figs. 17, 18.

With this method of moving out the plates 15 and 16 a transferring of the loops onto a point which lies nearest the usual sinking point K is obtained.

Fig. 26 shows a latch needle with a latch bent out at f ment of the plates.

the joint as known but particularly suitable for the mode of operation according to the invention as thereby the catching or tearing of the loops 3 transferred onto the needles is avoided upon subsequent closing of the latch.

In all cases before the transferring of the loops 3 a short up and down movement of the needles for the opening of the latches must be carried out.

According to a further feature of the invention the transfer plates for the re-entry between the needles are so moved or shaped that they enter with their free end higher above the loops 3 transferred onto the needles in the same mesh-forming process than the height at which the loops 3 have been formed on the transfer plates.

In this manner and with transfer plates which are moved against the backs of the needles or against the breast of the needle into the row of needles in the working position, one avoids that these plates stick or take up again the free loops 3 or that the loops 3 or a thread g (Fig. 12) to be worked into usual meshes placed below the transfer plate are pressed so deeply by the under edges of the plate that these on going to the latches (with latch needles) are pressed into the latch joints and are torn or cut by them.

According to the invention the transfer plates and their movement are such that, means is provided which obviate this disadvantage in that the plates enter by upward tipping of the part acting forwards, higher into the working position for the taking up 'of a new loop 3 between the needles than their height at which the loops 3 are sunk on same and again released by same.

The tipping or swinging of the plates P according to the invention and also of the knocking off plates or cover plates 16 must ioccur at the time at which the plates are moved from their out-of-action position (drawn back position) at A, Fig. 13 plan view and Figs. 12, 16 side view, to their foremost position for the loops sinking Figs. 9 and 17, between the needles N below the thread lor threads a and b as well as above the loop 3a and 3b, which makes the tipping of the transfer plates upwards necessary as shown in Fig. 12, as also does the position of a thread g to be worked into needle meshes and plate meshes of usual length which obviate the sticking or taking up again of the loop shown parts S1 and S2 affect the forward and backward move- The tipping of the plates p at the places AB is obtained by means of a special curved part H. With machines with plate movement against the back of the needle this curved part H is xed at the rear cam part S2 and such that its curve projects on the lower edge of the cam part (Fig. l2) and presses on the upper edge of the plate ends behind the butts and raises the transfer plates at the front (Fig. 12) from the dotted tothe drawn out position and in fact until the plates have reached the position B.

If the groups of transfer plates P1 and P2 are necessary then a further curved part H1 is located for the long transfer plates P2 at the lower edge of their rear cam part (Fig. 12 curved part H1 shown dotted).

The extent of the rise is determined by the height of the curve H, H1 outside the cam part S2. The transfer plates P1 and P2 have, in order to facilitate the tipping up, behind the plate butt beginning at the lower edge of the plate, a lower edge PX running obliquely upwards.

This working process may lbe effected also without tipping movement of the transfer plates P, by the shape of the transfer plate (Fig. 2) by the fact that the part PV, PC the free end of which is higher than the sinking point for the length of the loop 3 (Figs. 2 and 3).

In machines with plate movement against the needle breast (Fig. 16) a curved part H3 for the tipping of the cover plate 16 is fixed at the plate ring O and in fact at its forward edge adjacent the cylinder C. As with this embodiment two plates, a cover plate and knock-off plate 16 as well as Ia transfer plate 15 are available, only the knock oif plate 16 is tipped which is shorter than the dotted. The camY other and is guided in the front plate cam pathV. lThe curved part H3 acts on the front lower edge 16x which runs straight and consequently lies lower than the lower edge 15In of the transfer plate 15 which for the purpose of downward tipping is sloped upwards.. Therefore the cover plate 16 can be lifted sufliciently upward without the curve H3 acting on` the lower edge 15m (Fig. 16). The striking irons E (Figs. 12, 14, 16) serve in known manner for keeping downwards the plates P and 16 on their whole path in the direction D at the front, that is before the plate butt. During the tipping movement the striking iron has a concave curve K which is so` dimensioned relatively to the curve of the tipping cam H or H3 that the plates are not hindered in their tipping movements and, after termination of the tipping movement are returned to their low position (Fig. 14). In order that no jamming of the plates occurs the curve K is somewhat longer than the tipping curve, as shown in Fig. `14 by the two dotted connecting lines for the curve beginnings and endings.

The surface Sy may advantageously be correspondingly sloped and likewise the lower surfaces of the cam part where the tipping movement takes place and the plate butt is thus made sloping.

The lower edge 16Y of the knocking olf throat of the plate 16 (Figs. 16 and 17) which tips upaloneand also goes a little earlier than the transfer plate 15.l with its part 16a between the needles into the position B, is sloped downwards to the front so that on tipping the fabrics located on the needles and at the same time also the loops 3 are not raised (Fig. 16) since by such a raising of the fabric and loop the plates 16 as well as the plates 15 could enter the loop 3.

For carrying out the process whereby the loops 3 are transferred onto the needles at lower point than the point at which the same are sunk on the transfer plates it is intended according to the invention that the tipping or swinging movement of the transfer plates be used during the sinking of the thread. With this manner of operation transfer plates P according to Fig. 5 may be used without a deeper lying transfer throat Pb for the sinking point Pa. These transfer plates have a transfer throat P0 which lies at the same height therefore on a straight line with the sinking point Pa and the point PS. In addition the transfer plates P have the shape of the transfer plates according to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4. With both kinds of knitting machine according to Figs. 12, 14 and 16, 17 the higher placing of the sinking point relative to` the transfer point is brought about in that the tipping movement of the transfer plates P and knocking off plates 16 is carried beyond the termination of the sinking process of the needles N. For this it is only necessary to lengthen correspondingly the tipping cam curves H, H1 and H3 similarly as shown in Figs. 13 and 14 yby broken lines. Fig. 12 and also Fig. 16 show how the needles N go in the sinking direction upwards with the thread a, b to be sunk in the hook and the beginning of the tipping movement of the plates P and 16. Figs. 15 and 17 show further the placing .lof the thread a, b on the sinking point PS of the plates P and the point 16u of the plates 16 (shown in broken lines) these plates having been displaced upwards by tipping.

This plate position is maintained to the end of the sinking process according to Fig. 6 whereupon the plates are again moved into their horizontal position according to Figs. 7 and 20 by means of the striking iron E so that the transferring position of `the loops 3 is at a point lower than and nearer to the normal sinking point K.

As the curve H3 for the knocking olf plates 16 may be arranged` so as to be adjustable for the desired loop length it is indispensible that a longer sinking of loops 3 takes place with the transfer plates 15 with the needles N oblique to the sinking direction according to Fig. 19.

The characteristics according to the invention may be used singly as well as jointly in circular knitting machines.

1.. A circular: knitting machine having.: needles and sinkers,.cam means.' for cam means for operating the sinkers both. for sinking andl for transferring operations, each sinker having` at loop drawing edge 'gher level and means whereby loops held out on said' holding out edge are transferred from a point. which is nearer tosaid drawing level ythan to said holding outlevelr. 2. A circular knitting machine according to claim 1f wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate having a loop drawing edge at one level', having; a` loopv holding edge at a higher l'evel, and havingv -a transferring groover or throat lower than both said levels.

3.A A circular knitting mach-ine accordingy to claim l having means for tilting the sinkers of selected loops` during drawing and lowering: them before transferring, so that the loop drawingedge is at a higher' level. during the drawingthan during the transferring operations,` said cam means controlling` thev transfer plates so as to hold: out those selected loops during knitting of the course in which they were draw 4. A circular knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, latch needles therein and cam means for` recip.- rocating` the needles, a sinker guide plate, sinkers in suchf guide plates and cam means for reciprocating the: sinkers, each sinker having a lower edge for loop drawing purposes, a higher edge for holding selected loops on the needle latches during transfer and a transfer throat which is lower than both said edges, said cam means for the sinkers being shaped so as to advance the sinkers to a rst position for drawing and then to a second position for transferring.

5. The machine of claim l, wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate and having cam means whereby the plates enter their free end between the needles in a posi tion for the taking up of new loops which .is higher than the usual position of the plates in which those loops are transferred.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate and having cam means whereby selected transfer plates are tipped upwards during the downward movement of the corresponding needles during drawing of the loops which are to be held and, after the drawing, are again lowered for the transfer of the drawn loops.

7. The machine of claim 1, wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate which is provided behind the loop drawing edge with a :transfer throat lying deeper than said loop drawing edge.

8. The machine of claim l, wherein each sinker comend of such transfer plate is narrower than the portion immediately behind it.

9. The machine of claim 1, wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate the front lower edge of which is sloped upwards so that the free end of the transfer plate is narrower than immediately behind it, and in which behind the said slope of the transfer plate at the front lower edge is a transfer throat lying deeper than the loop drawing edge.

10. The machine of claim 1, wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate the front lower edge of which is sloped upwards in lwhich behind the said slope of the transfer plate at the front lower edge Iis a transfer throat lying deeper than the loop drawing edge, and in which the part of the transfer plate which lies between the said transfer throat and the beginning of the said lower edge slope, has a height suicient to keep any loops thereon,

11. The machine of claim 1, wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate the front lower edge of which is sloped upwards, and in which the loop drawing edge also runs obliquely upwards towards the free end.

operating thes needles and further:

at a lower level and a holding outedge: ata.

12. A circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles therein, a sinker guide plate with guide slots, a hook transfer plate and a knock-off and cover plate in each said guide slot, sinkers in said guide slots of the sinker plate, means for tilting the sinkers of selected loops during drawing and lowering them before transferring, and having cam means for tilting selected transfer plates during the transferring operation so that the loops are transfered at a lower level than that over which they are drawn.

13. A circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles therein, a sinker guide plate with guide slots therein, a hook transfer plate and a knock-olf and cover plate in each said guide slot and having cam means for tilting the transfer plates during the transferring operation so that the loops are transferred at a lower level than that over which they are drawn, and in which the knockotf and cover plate has a loop drawing edge at a higher level and a transferring edge at a lower level and cam means whereby the hook transfer plate is tipped farther downwards beyond the transfer position until the hook ythereof is covered by the part of the adjacent cover plate between the said two edges.

14. The machine of claim l, wherein each sinker comprises a transfer plate and in which the transfer plates have butts, cam means engaging those butts to move the plates to and fro horizontally `and further cam means provided to tilt the cover plate `and knock-off plate up-` wardly and further cams are provided which bring those plates again into their lower position Ifor the transfer of the loops.

16. The machine of claim l2, in which the cover plate and knock-off plate inclines downwardly and rearwardly at the lower front edge.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,186,255 Williams June 6, 1916 1,801,607 Lawson Apr. 21, 1931 2,126,196 Lawson Aug. 9, 1938 2,243,392 Page May 27, 1941 2,378,946 Page June 26, 1945 2,379,649 Nebel July 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 307,633 Great Britain Mar. 14, 1929 507,660 Great Britain June 14, 1939 

